Canon Couple
by Konig15
Summary: Guardia has fallen, now ruled by evil men decreed by destiny and FATE to rule. Crono's wife is dead, Lucca's Orphange is burned. Life goes on, but where to? And Why?
1. Best Friend Reunion

Canon Couple

Lucca thought she knew what it was like to know you were going to die. She was wrong; but life had stopped making total sense seven years ago. So being tied to a metal chair in a R&D/Temporal Maintenance facility somewhere just short of 1,500 years in the future with a silk clad cat putting his sword against her throat, with blood starting to seep out, it shouldn't have been quite as terrifying.

"Listen, uh, Lynx, I don't know what you're talking about. I swear. I dismantled the Epoch years ago," a half truth at best, "and I've been running my orphanage for the last six. I don't know anything, and if you've hurt any of my kids I'll kick your ass so hard you'll kiss the moon! Then I'll skin you alive for a nice fur coat and bury you in your own litter box!"

Lynx took his sword away, some blood coming off of it and some coming out of the light wound on Lucca's throat. "Tsk, tsk tsk," he intoned finger, wavering back and forth "I assure you Ms. Ashtear, all of your 'little brothers' and 'sisters' will be well taken care of, in the People's Orphanarium."

"You bastard! They'll pump them full of their Marksist crap and send them off to die."

"Isn't that the Guardian way? Only before it was for the 'benevolent' Little Father, the King, and The Great Father and his most holy Church. Now the youth die for the Revolution and the dictates of the Porrian Soviet. And relax; the Civil War will be over before your little brothers can become cannon fodder. And like Byzantium, Guardia will remain untouched because the Genoans won't let the other powers gobble her up, lest they become more powerful than Genoa herself."

"Besides dear Lucca, everyone in Guardia remembers you were one of Crono's Gang, who foiled the Yarkan Coup. You were the heroes of the Millennial Fair for that. Your face, on the front cover of every paper in the Kingdom; in Truth, Von Trot called for your head."

"'Truth' is a shitty little periodical full of lies. It's unfit to serve as my toilet paper!"

"All very correct, but the fact remains Linen will eventually sign your death order with the same fanatically passionless distain with which he ordered your King killed, and all other 'counterrevolutionaries' who have ever gotten in his way. You can't be allowed to live. You were best friends with the Prince Consort AND his wife, if only for one fateful summer. You can't fight the Red Army; with Lavos, my dear, you could concentrate firepower, but it wouldn't take more than 500 troops to put you down with good sharpshooters. While you kill the cannon fodder, the snipers out of range take chunks out of your head. Either way, your kids end up in the hands of the Reds. You cannot win against the flow of history."

"Now I have taken the trouble to bring you hear, to burn your orphanage, to explain the direness of your situation, to make a point. What happened is inevitable. I am not your enemy, and FATE is not your enemy. Your enemy is Vladimir Ilyason Linen and the Porrian Soviet. You can defeat neither. You will have to leave Guardia and your orphans in one of two ways: on a boat over the ocean to Usonia or a boat over the Styx to the gates of Hades, your choice. Your usefulness to history came to an end LONG ago, but I can help you if you help me."

He grabbed her hand. His paw had a cat's cushioning on them. "Lucca, I understand the significance of that scarf you're wearing. It's a friendship scarf you bought with Crono over a decade ago. If you help me set FATE free, I can snatch your friends from any given moment where they were being hunted down like animals…and take them here. Lucca, I can give your friends a new lease on life, the Civil War cannot be won, but you can go anywhere you choose." He came close to her and softly whispered in her ear. "I can give you Crono and Marle back…Or maybe just Crono."

"Or maybe just Marle," Lucca replied bitterly. "Surely you've heard the rumors. I hate Marle because she stole my little Dutch Boy."

"But I don't believe that."

"Some days I believe it myself. And worse, I think my parents started to believe it. So kill me already! What else am I gonna do? Go spinster and shrivel up till I'm 80 years old and die an Old Maid. Hell, why not just bring me my Wondershot so I can blow my own brains out. At least that's dignified!"

Lynx thought he was getting somewhere, "Tell me…"

"I'll tell you! I'm tired of being looked at with pity. I'm 24 goddamn years old. At worst I've got 15 good child bearing years left in me. Lynx, I don't know if there was anything between me and Crono. Happy now? Sigh, I never got the chance to see if there was anything between me and him. I was 17 years old, I wasn't ready for a relationship, I'm not ready for a relationship NOW. But hey, thanks for dragging it out." She breathed heavily, "I'm not giving you anything. What happened here? Where are all the personnel? Did you kill them too! You're not giving me anything no matter what I do. So get on with it."

"Oh now Lucca, don't be foolish. I've drained your magic, taken your weapons and tied you up." He grabbed her by under the face hard, his claws digging into her flesh painfully, "We have nothing but time here. I bleed you out for days should I desire. You can either help me willingly and profit or you can resist, and I can find entertainment."

There was a shwing of sword being unsheathed followed by the command of, "Let her go." Lynx looked over but before he could say anything Lucca shouted

"Crono!" And it was, disheveled and dirty and looking like hell. Lucca wasn't sure if it was because of the heavy stubble or the dark circles under his eyes but he looked 20 years older than the last time they'd seen one another.

"And here's the Prince Consort. I could have sworn you dead."

A voice, very artificial, with a very Genoan accent piped in from the overhead speakers "You and FATE have crossed the line. I will not allow you to bring my friends into this matter."

"Prometheus, you should have thought of that before you gave Lucca here the override."

"I've had a lot time to regret many things since the Crash, Wazuki," that name seemed to annoy the cat "but not this one. I will not let you do this. Let them go, your struggle is with me."

"Let her go kitty, NOW!" Crono screamed, his Rainbow in attack position.

"Don't you DARE threaten me. Your swordsmanship is no match for mine!" and so Lynx leaped forward to teach Crono a lesson. As he readied his backpaw and closed the distance, Crono's left hand left his katana, under his right coat pocket and withdrew a standard issue .45 caliber officer pistol and shot Lynx not more than ten feet away. Lynx was sort of stunned he hadn't seen that coming, while Crono emptied the other five shots into Lynx, who collapsed into a heap. A pop from an overhead ceiling was heard and an Acid and Base fell right beside the stunned feline.

"What'dya know, these new fangled things are good for something after all." Crono remarked about the gun.

"I told you that 10 years ago." Lucca rolled her eyes at him over her shoulder.

Prometheus interjected. "I would advise you two to leave immediately, as FATE is now aware of our activities. Lynx will regain consciousness momentarily."

Realizing this, Crono quickly holstered the gun, sheathed the sword and took out a knife and cut Lucca free. "Here, he said, handing her the pistol and a satchel full of ammo. "Crono, I'm so glad you came for me!" Lucca cried as she hugged him in relief.

"We gotta get going, and thank Robo" So Lucca nodded without a word.

"I'll lead you out. Simply follow the open doors." And then the alarm system sounded. "I will try and keep the security bots at bay, but you must hurry." A door open and they ran through it right as the Acid and Base combined right on top of Lynx. The ensuing explosion nearly knocked him off their feet, but they scrambled on, especially as Lynx's wake-up roar told them he was not in a good mood. The white, sterile walls took on a dark pulsating red as security bots poured in from all directions. They ran blindly from one open door to the next in a seemingly endless maze, fighting Bits, Buggers, and Proto models it seemed they'd fought a lifetime ago. Crono cut down any that stood in the way, and Lucca covered the rear, most of the time trying to down Lynx who slashed through the bits in a wild attempt to get at them. Unfortunately, Lucca was way out of practice.

Every time they got to a new room, the old door would close and a new one would open, buying them precious seconds. Crono took tonics, Lucca reloaded, and then away they went. Finally they came to the Master Control Center; at least, that's where Lucca had remembered. And there was only one way out.

"My friends," Robo proclaimed, "this is how we are to escape! Wait…" The door lifted into the ceiling again and Lynx walked confidently into the trap. With an audible swoosh, the door slammed down on him. Had he been in any way ordinary, it would have sliced him in half just below the lungs. Instead, he was pinned to the ground, too angry to do anything but snarl at Crono. "Crono, quickly, cut off his head." Crono unsheathed, but could not strike the feline down.

"I can't do it. He's unarmed."

"Illogical, stupid, but not surprising. 7000 years and you haven't changed at bit. Now, wait and don't attack." The entire room went white for a moment and then a familiar R-Series frame came out of a bot storage unit, spinning across the floor, airing out and powering up its systems.

"Robo! There you are" Crono and Lucca cried out.

She hugged the big boiler of his torso as hard as she could, "It seems our fears were well founded with FATE, huh? See Crono, we needed a defense against traitorous computers, and trust me; the restored future has its share of wars with them. Robo was efficient intelligent and loyal first to humanity. Right?"

"On the contrary Lucca, FATE is running exactly as designed." This caught Lucca off guard. "I will explain later."

Robo went to the control center and began interfacing with it. "We have to leave, now. Listen carefully, I'm locking the system down; it will blind and cripple F.A.T.E. but Lynx will never stop looking for me. I've had a long time to develop this protocol; it will take FATE approximately 10043.76 years to crack. I've got to get you two out of Guardia, Lynx will not pursue you beyond its borders; there is negligible chance of a paradox once you leave the old Kingdom's borders. Besides, no one will want to live in Guardia for the next 250 years. This is the new 'Time of Troubles.' The Civil War is lost, and it needs to be. Listen carefully in case something happens. There are two evil men, one in Vien and the other is in Truce. Both with lead their nations within 30 years, both will kill millions without a thought, but destroying one man means the other will enslave world, and if you kill both, there will be a paradox which effects I dare not predict. Crono believe me, I have run the calculations, the Reds must win and I could not save Marle, there was simply no way and you know why."

"Too many people around her. Too many guards, too many servants, me."

"I cannot tell you how sorry I am for that."

"Not as sorry as I am," Crono sounded very old.

There was a "Borong!" sound from the left and a big blue portal opened. But that wasn't the only sound. Several buggers had there legs under the door, beside Lynx trying to get the thing open. "Go!" shouted Robo, and Lucca almost ripped Crono out of his boots into the portal, she herself caught in the momentum. The door opened, and Lynx leapt to his feet, only to find Robo's first waiting for him. The chain extension leant the punch didn't stop there, but threw him into the bulkhead with broken teeth and a broken nose bone. FATE would fix those in no time, but it was enough to conk him out and allow Robo to throw himself into the closing portal.

Author's note: Hello. I haven't posted anything for a while, but I wanted to get back in the game. Honestly, I don't know if this is any good or not. See my writing's pretty good when it gets long, but if I ever want to do this regularly I guess I have to shorten it up. BTW, Robo's supposed to be a little more ruthless after seeing the big picture of time for the last 7,000 years or so. I haven't actually played Chrono Cross, I just imagined Geno Dome all clean and played the Chronopolis theme for inspiration. My goal is to write a story, about five chapters, all about this long. Nothing's in stone though, so tell me what you think! Thanks for reading!


	2. The Forest Sings the Same Song Forever

The Forest Sings the Same Song Forever

For Crono, seeing the flow of time through a dimensional portal brought back comforting memories. It was a grand adventure then, the mission, the fighting, life itself. Upon seeing the black hole at the end of the tunnel, Crono grabbed Lucca's free arm, commanded to hold him tighter. The two were violently ejected down and hillside, taking all manner of bumps and crashes, screaming all the way down, before finally managing to stop near the bottom of the hill. Robo, however, overshot them both and went headlong into a dead, rotted tree, which finally stopped him lodged halfway in the tree. Crono laughed heartily at this, and God knows he needed it.

Lucca punched in the arm, and told him that was rude, and to cut Robo free, as she had no means to do so. Rubbing the smarting arm, that's what he did. Robo rolled and righted himself, thanking Crono verbally and with several deep bows. Crono and Lucca were then just opposite of each other. Lucca made the first move; she cried out with great anguish and nearly pinned Crono to the trunk of that old rotten tree.

She could barely breathe out "Crono… Crono… I've…missed you…so much…an' now…you're the only who's left. You know, except Robo. And even he says he's going to be gone! It's all gone!"

Crono had been sympathetic to this point, by here; he lashed out, slapping Lucca hard. He face was unrelenting and unmerciful "All gone? You know nothing about 'all gone!' Your parents are alive, aren't they? They fled in the revolution. My parents are dead Lucca, DEAD! My wife is dead, DEAD! Everything I ever believed in is gone!"

Lucca was supposed to be fiery. But not on that night she wasn't. She just kept mumbling about how it was all gone and begging Crono not to leave her, until unconsciousness overtook her. "She didn't used to be like this. I…I was just trying to get her to focus." He finally said at long length.

"It has been a long time. For her it has been seven years and for you barely five since we defeated Lavos. If I might say so Lucca has an immense capacity and dare I say need, for affection. Her parents are far away in Usonia and I do not need to have been plugged into FATE to see and understand how deeply she was hurt by your falling out."

"There was no falling out; our lives went in opposite directions. She went on to founding an orphanage, God knows why, and I was trying to learn how to govern a kingdom rotting from within. It's just…life."

"You know why she opened the orphanage."

"No, I don't! Even if that Kid is Schala's daughter, that didn't mean she had to take care of the others. Her talents are much better utilized elsewhere."

"To the point that many assumed she would eschew children entirely."

Crono looked at his mechanical friend with some amount of surprise "I didn't say that."

"But you implied it. Crono, listen, when Lucca first came up to see me and Chonopolis, she brought Kid with her. I am not a living being, perhaps you know better than I, but I have seen Lucca happier only once, and that was when we rescued you on the top of Death Peak."

There was silence.

Finally, Robo spoke, "The forest is dangerous and not just for its indigenous creatures. We have got to get you two means of transportation out of Guardia or you will both be killed."

"I don't want to leave, I want to fight"

"Negative. Crono, the Civil War is lost. The Whites are controlled by a dozen unpopular factions, each more incompetent than the last. Only half of them are monarchists and none of them would ever recognize anyone but a Guardian male on the throne. Winning is not feasible. If it makes you feel any better, the Red government will collapse, in 1091."

"It doesn't," he spat.

Robo grabbed him and pulled him towards his sensors, "Listen very carefully, my friend," the last two words coming out tersely, "because I do not have a lot of time. Both of you should be dead by now; only through my efforts has this not come to past. Lynx will soon be hunting my down like a sport animal, and if my existence does continue, it will do so under circumstances that in your understanding will be slavery and torture. For the next few days, my entire existence is justified by getting you two away from Guardia. I am trying to give you too a second chance and I am not going to waste my time on your fantasies of vengeance. I literally do not have time." He let Crono go

Crono took a deep breath, "And you couldn't save Marle?"

"Crono, I would have prevented everything that has happened here, had I the power, but my power within Chronopolis is very limited. Crono, this revolution was coming, and that it came with the Guardo-Nipponese War, it may have actually prevented the First Great War. Millions of lives might have been saved. And Crono, otherwise your children would have fought in the War and the Civil War."

"And what did I do? You know, IF in fact your records are so good."

"That is irrelevant, what is important is that you understand you must leave Guardia at once. You and Lucca need to protect one another until you reach a free port. What you do after that is up to you. This second chance is my last gift to you. Take it I beg you."

Crono was finally defeated, not sure if he wanted to fight in the first place "OK, what now?"

"We have to find someplace to stay. Wake up Lucca; maybe she has some idea."

Lucca awoke exhausted and flinching at the smell of an ether bottle. She saw Crono in front of her "Oh, Crono, I'm sorry, I lost it back there"

"You lost it here. We haven't moved. Ah, listen, I'm sorry, this has all got to be a lot for you. I, I…it's just my last memories are of hearing that Marle had been gunned down and then being ambushed by Red Guards. They just kept coming, and coming, and then I was running, and suddenly a portal opens up and five minutes later I'm shooting a six foot cat. I'm sorry." He Clutched her "I'm so sorry…I wanna make it up to you, right now, but I was talking to Robo, and he's right, we have to go, now. Do you know where we could stay tonight?"

"I'll stay anywhere as long as you stay with me. Just don't go away, not again. Remember how I told you on the way down Death Mountain that I wouldn't save you next time? Well, I can't save you, not ever again. So stay with me awhile, and don't do anything stupid," she said.

"Lucca, why are you like this? This isn't the girl I know…"

This time Lucca slapped him, "That girl is about seven years back, with no cares, no responsibilities, having the time of her life hunting down Lavos. Merrily merrily, merrily Life is but a Dream, eh Crono!" Remember when fighting was fun?" She pushed him "I remember. I remember when Guardia was safe. She was a creaking old monarchy, but I've seen 'inevitable social progress' and I don't want it. And the Reds HATE it when one of us intellectuals goes heretical. I've told the bastards, I haven't just talked, I've FOUGHT ghosts and the asses tell me my own eyes are faulty. I'm an intellectual and I believe in God and they think I'm a freak. But anyway, what the point of being strong Crono, huh?"

"What…what do you mean?" Crono asked.

Lucca sighed, "Whatdya mean, whatyda mean? For the love of Newton, look around. We couldn't stop Lavos from turning the world into a giant ice ball in Ayla's era, we did everything we could, but we still couldn't save Zeal, and now, we can't save our own country. But Hell, we did save the world, that has to count for something, doesn't it?"

"Lucca, let's not go there."

"Ohhh, let's. If all this crap could be taken away if only we had never messed with time, wouldn't you take it?"

"I would never have met Marle, or at least, gotten to no her. No adventure, no Marle."

"Especially Marle," Lucca cursed. Finally she gave up, "With all the pain you still would accept this?" She had her hands wide. Crono nodded. "So would I. So we goddamn deserve it, don't we?"

"Lucca, Crono, we do not have time for this!" Robo interjected, "Do either of you know where we can stay for the night?"

"Where exactly are we?" Crono asked.

"We are approximately halfway between the Castle grounds and corporate limit of Truce."

Lucca breathed in, "Yeah, I might have an idea. Her name's Luccia. She's a little loopy. OK, possibly deranged, but let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

"She makes YOU say she's deranged!" Crono was dumbfounded.

"Yeah, but…hey, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT! And don't tell me 'nothing'!"

"It's…" Crono sputtered.

"Oh, I see, a FEW of my inventions blow-up and I'm the mad scientist. Is that why I was never a thought in your head when you where chasing Marle around!"

"What the Hell…that has nothing to do with it."

"Enough!" Robo called out, "As you are probably aware, I have limited empathic capacity. That means I can also feel emotions. Now I am angry. Lucca, you have been through a lot tonight, and Crono, life has not been kind since the last time I saw you, but if you two do not stop bickering, cease speaking and get moving, our existences will be exterminated either by the Reds or Lynx. I have no idea when either could strike. Now Lucca, can you lead us to Luccia's residence?"

Lucca looked bitterly at Crono "It won't be hard. She has a small farm right on the edge of town. It's where she does be real experiments; she's into biology. Dark stuff; has to do with splicing, magical and otherwise of plants, even carnivorous plants, and meat eating shitakes. Maybe plant –animal experiments."

"What if she's moved onto human experimentation? We'd better be ready for that contingency." Crono suggested distrustfully

"I doubt that, Crono. Luccia is unorthodox, HIGHLY unorthodox, but I don't think she'll be a threat to us." Lucca said.

"Lucca can you lead us there?" Robo asked, and Lucca then affirmed. So they walked in the moonlight, talking trails that Crono and Lucca had taken often in their youth. The distance between Guardia Castle and the beginnings of Truce is not much more than 30 miles. So it only took three hours before Lucca led the group to a run down farm that she said was Luccia's.

Being exhausted and eager for sleep, Lucca loudly banged on the door until a light came on upstairs and there were angry steps down the stairs. A purple haired woman flung open the door with a kerosene lamp, for the electric grid hadn't been reliable since the Nipponese attacked Port Arthur.

"Lucca!" she exclaimed with wide open eyes. "I, I thought you were dead. They, they said you were dead!"

Lucca looked at Robo, "How long exactly has it been since my house was burned to the ground?" Luccia gave a grunt of stupefaction.

Robo was more helpful "15 days, three hours, and…22 minutes now."

"Who is he?" Luccia pointed at machine.

"He's a robot from the future." Lucca said.

"That's very amusing. Now what is he really?" Luccia shot back.

"He's a robot from the future."

"Now Lucca, don't…"

"Listen Luccia! I don't have time to explain and I don't have the energy to lie. Briefly, my Teleporter opened up some temporal rifts during the Millennial Fair. They all closed up during the Moonlight parade, but my friend here came back to save me."

Luccia blanched, "I believe you. I know because that is the Prometheus Knight from Fiona's Shrine. I remember that from when I was a little girl….That means you had some serious fun back in the Middle Ages."

"Yep, at least Crono did. Say hello Crono."

Crono, who had been silent, exchanged pleasantries with Luccia.

"…my condolences, my prince." Luccia finished.

"Only by marriage and not anymore. Besides If Robo couldn't do anything, nobody can," he said emptily.

"So Luccia, I'm begging you scientist to scientist, woman to woman, please let us stay. It'll only be a day or two, I swear it."

Luccia though on this for a while and said "You stuck up for me a lot at the Royal Academy of Sciences, I won't forget that. It's a shame, but in these times I can't revel in your stories. I don't even really want to know because of the Reds might think you told me. So inside, quickly! All of you! Do you need food…lubricants?"

"Just sleep," Crono croaked out."

"Excuse me," Robo said, but, I believe I can do foe Marle. I cannot save her," he said dashing the hope "but I can retrieve her body and insure she receives a proper burial. It's not much, but I can do it."

Crono interjected here, "Robo, please do, but let us bury her properly, in a churchyard with full rites. I won't Guardia without it."

"Had I not brought it up you wouldn't have thought of it."

"I would have done it in abstentia. I suspected those bastards wouldn't even give her a decent burial. Bastards," he whispered bitterly.

"Then I shall return in the morning. Mistress Luccia, it has been a pleasure meeting you." And he walked out the door and off into the forest towards a shallow little mineshaft where the Reds had gleefully stuffed the princess' body.

Author's note: Rage Colewell – I really appreciate your review. Everyone else, don't be afraid to be critical, I can only improve! Thanks for reading


	3. The Burial

The Burial

It was past noon, but the day was cold, much colder than the previous night, and windy besides. Wherever the Reds had dumped Marle's body, it wasn't too far from Guardia Castle, reflecting the speed with which the Revolution had taken hold of Guardia. They never had time to get out. Early in the morning, Robo had seemingly returned with nothing. Lucca had been waiting; she hadn't slept more than two hours last night, worried sick about her kids, and Crono. What wouldn't make it into the history books was that she also masturbated herself into a frenzy, puked, and masturbated again until her private parts ached. That should have been fun even with the puking, but wasn't it was gross. Lucca decided it was the stress and dismissed it. Running for your life is a lot less fun with no armor, no magic and a .45 caliber Colt.

But as it turned out, Robo had indeed returned with Marle's remains, inside his torso. Crono had broken into sobs as Robo dumped badly acid scared bone fragments into the cheap coffin they'd procured. Lucca and Robo had set the bone fragments up in proper position, but the pieces all rolled around as they carried the coffin to the grave, making the whole effort futile. According to Robo, this was Marle's fate in the original timeline as well; to be shot to pieces by regicidal atheists.

This is were Lucca found herself, about three in the afternoon on a day when sky went steel grey, wearing a borrowed jacket from Luccia, and looking at the country priest who was giving Marle the funeral rites of a peasant. Lucca smiled at that; Marle was a princess in every sense of the word, but she had never been comfortable with it, and Lucca thought she'd like it better this way. Nadia of House Guardia, princess and daughter of Guardia XXXIII was being buried in bucolic country graveyard under the name Marle Fedorson, the young wife of a young peasant man. She'd have peace now.

Crono had cleaned up the best he could, but his blue soldier's uniform was torn and dirty and there hadn't been time to wash them. At least he'd shaved and showered. Lucca estimated they were half-way through when Crono burst into tears. Lucca moved towards him as he clutched his side in grief. Lucca put her arm around Crono's shoulders, and began to pat him on the back. At this Crono began to wail and rested his head on Lucca's bosom. Lucca smiled slightly, she was glad to be there for Crono, she had always been there for Crono, until that rat princess stole him away. It was one thing for her to be his lover, but to take him away from for five years, and probably longer except for the damned Revolution! The bitch! That thieving bitch!

Lucca was taken aback at that thought, though she didn't move. She had grit her teeth, and if her head hadn't been down the whole world would have seen it. Marle had been her friend once, then again, so had Crono. There was a damn good reason Lucca hadn't shown up for that wedding. Love? Not really, but Lucca was not happy about losing Crono to anyone else, especially another woman. Now, all Lucca could do was to begin to stroke Crono's thick mane of hair, her hands futily trying to tame the spikes sticking out everywhere. Now Crono was back in her life, and she didn't know what to do. She wanted to be 16 again, before the Revolution, before Lavos, before Marle, when everything made sense. But that wasn't going to happen; nothing good was going to happen.

At last, the service was over, and the village priest mixed some holy water with some sacramental wine and tossed them onto the coffin. He then placed a wafer on the in the middle of the mess. Seeing how this was to be a quick burial, the priest, at the head of the coffin hole, passed two wafers and the wine bottle to Crono, who had to be roused from Lucca's arms. Quickly and mostly tearless, they ate and drank of the body of the Liaison, and in the name of the Heavenly Father, they held communion. Both Lucca and Crono figured it was bad form to swig the sacramental wine bottle, so they took small sips. Lucca was sure this wasn't canon procedure, but a local custom, and it served its function well enough.

Lucca liked the priest; he was a relatively young man, with not a grey hair on his head. His beard was cut short on neatly trimmed, which in the Orthodox Church meant he a moderate, one reason he was willing to help them in the hour of need. But it was the look on his face that she would never forget. His eyes shone, though they were sad. As Lucca had grown up, learning of the martyrs of old, she imagined they looked at lot like that as they were used as lamps for Nero's dinner parties. 'Was it that bad?' she wondered. For the Reds, religion was a drug that they would wean the population off of, by force if necessary. Manoria Cathedral had already been deconsecrated; they turned it into a Museum of Atheism. Dark whispers of priests being taken away in the night, and nuns being raped (another gleeful deconsecration), and property being seized. The peasants used to say 'God is in Heaven and the King is far away' now it was 'The King is dead, and God has turned His back on us.' And Robo implied this would continue, not for decades, but centuries!

In the end, Crono heard some words of comfort from the priest, words he never disclosed to Lucca, and then left for Luccia's house, Robo and Lucca in tow. The less people saw of them the better. They arrived to find Luccia boiling some potatoes. When Lucca asked her what she was doing, Luccia told them it was so rare to have company, that she felt obligated to celebrate a proper dinner with them, and since it was to risky to summon one of the neighbor ladies to do it, the scientist was going to do it herself. Crono was about to object to this when he was jabbed in the ribs by Lucca, who shot him a threatening look and politely thanked Luccia for her efforts.

Even with the apron, Luccia had clearly regained some of the oddities that distinguished her. She wore a thin monocle, and her hair and nose seemed to stretch back into an aristocratic pose. Even her Aryan accent seemed thicker today than it had been last night. With seasoning in one hand, she handed Lucca an automated clipper. Now one should not confuse this clipper with one found in barbershops today, but that time they were much bigger, especially the batteries in the handle. These were made to sheer sheep, not trim sideburns. Luccia explained, quite rightly, that Crono's thick mane was liable to be noticed on the streets of any major metropolis of this new Soviet Union. She not quite accidentally committed a faux pax by proclaiming that it was good fortune that Lucca's hideous inventor's cap was no longer there to obstruct Lucca's pretty face.

Outside in the middle of the yard, sitting on a weathered tree stump, Crono sat on old blanket as Lucca shaved off his hair. Lucca was far from an expert, so she didn't cut it too close, but enough so that Crono didn't look like so much like he had during most of their adventures. The headband came off as well. With hair everywhere, Crono went back inside the house to find a mirror. Our intrepid adventurers weren't thinking things through it seems. Lucca followed him upstairs to a corridor bathroom just off the landing, were he took a good look at Lucca's handiwork.

He chuckled. "'When are you going to cut that hair and grow up young man?' He he, my Mom used to say that all the time to me, even after I became the Prince-Consort."

Lucca smiled lightly "Yeah, I remember," she rubbed his now tamed hair, "You never did get around to doing that other thing and getting a real job."

"Hey now," Crono protested, "I commanded troops against the Nipponese; I was even commissioned as a Colonel in the Guardian Royal Army. Even won a few battles. I will admit though I was better fighter than commander."

Lucca blushed slightly. "I'm sure that will come with time."

Crono picked up a comb, wetted it in the sink and combed his hair neatly down the middle, and surprisingly, it stuck. Crono sighed at the sight "I look like a school teacher."

"You know Crono, I followed you in the papers. Even the anti-war papers said you were an exemplary leader." Crono turned to her and walked to the stairs, Lucca again following, "And I read the White pamphlets, it looked like we really had a chance before you disappeared and Marle…" she trailed off, not knowing what to say

Crono stopped and looked at her, "Marle died. Marle is dead. You can say it. I couldn't save her, I can't save anything!" He spun around and pounded the falls with his fists. "I need to get new clothes; I'll never make it through Truce in this," He said randomly.

Lucca put her hand on Crono's shoulder, "It's not your fault."

"Oh yes it is. I need to tell you something. Not now, after dinner. Please, here me out."

Lucca was concerned, "Of course I'll listen. But are you sure it's wise? We've got so much else on our minds, maybe this should wait until we aren't in danger."

Crono grabbed Lucca by the shoulder. He pleaded more with his eyes than his voice "Lucca please. We may die…at this point I'd say we WILL die. Before that though, I need you to know."

"OK, Crono, OK. After dinner then. I promise."

Luccia's voice came from downstairs, "Lucca, Lucca! Come quick!" Lucca rushed down the stairs, while Crono in youthful exuberance, slid down the railing.

The two of them found Luccia besides Robo, whom she had requisitioned as Kitchen help. Luccia collected her thoughts by taking a breath "Your mechanical friend here informs me that sometime in the future I'm going to meet someone named Kid. Do you whom this person is?"

Lucca went pale and her mouth went agape, "Is this true?"

"Indeed," piped up the robot, "I cannot determine the precise time and place coordinates, but Luccia seems fated to meet with Kid sometime in the next 20 years."

Lucca was astonished, "Is she going to be alright! Has she stayed out of trouble? Does she get married, does Ma…I mean Janus," she quickly thought better than to have to explain why she knew the last great leader of the Mystic Hordes, "know about it? Come'on Robo don't hold out on me."

Robo's green LED eyes went from left to right, "It does not concern you."

"Robo, that's cruel," said Crono in all seriousness, almost threateningly.

"Luccia and I are of the same opinion: you must leave this residence tomorrow morning. Chasing after Kid will merely get you killed and put her in danger. Suffice it to say Kid will survive and she will be as important to the future as you once were." He let that sink in for a moment.

"I have to contact her; she's my responsibility!" protested Lucca, "let me see her!"

Luccia went to Lucca and patted her on the shoulder, "Write her a letter. I will keep it safe always, until I meet this Kid. I advise you to leave out this mess; she may not understand…heh, as if I do! Crono, go wash up, dinner will be ready soon. And you Lucca, write whatever you need. I don't understand this, but I promise Kid will receive your note. And be happy about it, for the love of God you two look as though the despair alone will fell you at any moment!" She forced a smile that seemed more predatory than celebratory.

That was when Lucca Ashtear went into Luccia's study on the first floor. She found plain paper, which she preferred to stationary, and a ballpoint pen, not a cheap one, a good one, for Luccia put pride into the tools of her trade. Crono didn't wash up; instead he placed his left hand on her shoulder and stood watching her hands, surprisingly delicate as the calluses of yesteryear shriveled to nothing for lack rough mechanicing. Lucca decided against writing about her dire predicament, but it one read it carefully, there were too many descriptions to be the wild speculation of a young scientist.

This is what she wrote:

My Dear Kid,

How are you doing? I wonder how old you are as you read this letter? Perhaps you've matured into a beautiful woman, raising a happy family, by now? I was hoping to talk to you in person when you were old enough, but just in case something happens; I'm writing my feelings down on paper and leaving it with Luccia.

Perhaps you already know... or perhaps you yourself are also now caught up in some historic crisis as a result of all this. But, anyway... A long time ago, we -- my friends and I, that is -- changed the future in order to save our planet from being devoured by Lavos, a monster from some unknown planet. We still feel proud of the role we played in saving our world, and in how we were so freely able to change the flow of time. But sometimes I think of the darker side of what we did...

What has become of the future that was "once" supposed to have existed? Where did the "time" that now is no longer allowed to exist "go"? It is true that, thanks to our altering the flow of history, we were able to save so many lives and prevent so much sadness and suffering... But when you think of it, we also caused the deaths of so many that were meant to have come into existence in the time line we destroyed, and also caused new sadness and suffering further along in the new future we created...

That is why I worry that someone might seek revenge on us for what we did. I have had a constant dread in my heart that someone in our new future will travel back in time, just like we did, and try and kill or capture my friends and me. So, even if something dreadful does befall me, Kid, know that what was meant to happen will happen, and that I was always prepared for the worst. Oh, but don't you dare think the Great Lucca is going to go down without a fight! (I've got a reputation to uphold!) Whatever lies waiting for us around the next corner better watch out, 'cause it's gonna find a pretty mean counter-attack coming its way!

Kid... When I think of you, I remember someone I once met a long, long time ago in the distant past... Heh! But she was the complete opposite of the you in this time line... So quiet and gentle... Someday I'll also tell you about her... When you are ready to know of your real name and heritage.

I'm not the slightest bit worried about you, Kid! I know that, no matter what happens, "he" will always be there looking out for you! Or perhaps he has already found you and is there by your side as you read this? If so, hello, Janus! Please take good care of my "little sister" for me!

There is so much more I want to tell you, but I must leave it for another time. Don't worry! Everything is okay! We will overcome whatever woes may occur! That's for certain! Later, when you're all grown up, I'll come visit you and we'll talk over tea. I look forward to that day!  
Well, anyway Kid, until we meet again... Forever and ever your friend,  
(No matter which time line it is!)  
Yours sincerely,  
Lucca Ashtear  
P.S. Cut out the tomboy act! Believe me! You'll become a beautiful young lady one day, or my name isn't "Lucca the Great"!

It wasn't the exact truth. Janus would be there, if he was needed, but Lucca was the closest thing Kid had to a mother, and if she wasn't truly worried about Kid, and the rest of her little brothers and sisters, something would truly by defective with her maternal instincts. Still it gave Kid a place to start if she wanted to track Lucca down. She looked up a Crono and smiled, his touch was a great comfort to her. Crono smiled back, for the first time in a long time, in genuine happiness.

Robo watched this with as much satisfaction as an artificial lifeform could possess.

Author's Note: July 1, 2006 Been a long time, eh? Yami Silverdramon got me off my ass, so thank her if you like. I didn't think anyone was that interested. Cool. Should stay up for a long time, seeing how the CT section is deader than the 10th Amendment. Email or PM me if I got any of the Chrono Cross details wrong. Remember I haven't played CC ever and I haven't played CT in ages, so if I'm rusty let me know. Hopw you enjoyed. Reviews motivate me so leave a few.


	4. Dinner with Old Friends

Dinner with Old Friends

"What a truly delightful automaton!" exclaimed Luccia as Robo twirled through the dining room, setting the table with inhuman deftness. For the pleasure of his human companions Robo produced a mechanical sounding tune, which was wordless, but nonetheless seemed to brighten the mood of all. This transformed his movements into something like a dance. To dance…what a wonderful thing! Vassily Harkov had taught him how to dance, even in those dark days back in the Dome so long ago. But that was another lifetime, a lifetime better left behind.

In the thousands of years since the Time Crash, Robo had gained clarity on the multiverse. True, to change the future as they did was to erase the people therein, but it was also to spare the inhabitants of 1999 of much death and destruction and to give birth to a better future. Sacrifices had to be made, they always did, unwilling sacrifices. At one time this knowledge would have brought the robot to oil-fed tears, and how he pined for those days! But now it fed his resolve; these were his friends and he would save them no matter the cost.

Luccia brought out a large pink ham and some peasant's bread and mashed potatoes, and placed them at the table fit for eight. But even better than that, to Crono's mind, she brought out what potatoes were really for: Vodka and the Samovar had been going all day. Lucca had assured him that Luccia took her drinks seriously (in fact last Lucca checked, she was trying to produce a specialized potato that would make a smother, more potent liquor. Aside from making unholy abominations…) so there would be good tea and booze.

"Good God, Lucca, except for the Communion Wafers, I don't think we've eaten in over a day."

"We haven't.," Lucca replied, "Ayla would be mortified. 'We must eat. Eat and be strong or Lavos make us all go BOOM!'"

Crono chuckled then looked over to Lucca in horror, "Ah, Lucca, ex-nay on the Yla-Aay."

"Oh relax, Red, Luccia knows we got a robot from the future, its obvious where we've been," she looked at the purple-haired botanist "Right Luccia?"

Luccia, still in a slightly stained apron looked at her with surprise. She put the bowl down and said, "I know nothing. NOTHING! I don't wanna know anything."

Crono looked at Luccia and then at Lucca "Don't call my red, Luc."

"And don't you call me Luc, Spike…" and Lucca puckered her lips and then sneered "You win this round." And it came out threatening but in truth Lucca couldn't help suddenly latching onto Crono, "God it's great to have you back, Crono."

Crono, surprised, hugged Lucca tight. He breathed contentedly and it was, well, like stretching after a heavy exercise. The stress all over his body, stress he'd been numb to ever since the Revolution began felt like it was pouring out through his fingers and feet.

He looked down and admired Lucca's brown hair. It was very pretty Luccia was certainly right about that one, "So what do you think our cavewoman friend is doing these days."

Lucca took her head out of Crono's chest and answered "A couple of weeks ago I took the kids to the Natural History Museum; there's a primitive human recreation that looks a lot like her."

"Ouch," replied Crono

"She's too dark in skin tone, and her hair is black, but she looks ready to chow down on poi, I swear." They chuckled.

Then they heard a wooden spoon hit a glass bowl and turned to see Luccia adjusting her monocle. "If the lovers wouldn't mind, I'd like to eat before the damn Cheka get here."

At the mention of the Red's secret police, Crono and Lucca blanched a bit and took their seats, Crono said as he sate down, "You did get a group discount did you not?" Robo despinsed the tea from the Samovar and covertly inserted the concoction he'd prepared for Lucca and Crono.

"Of course! 17 children going to the Museum with no discount; we'd have to skip a meal."

"What happened to your share of the loot, Lucca?" asked Crono, who then carved some ham and put it on his plate.

"I spent it all. Renovating the house, buying furniture, buying food, it's not cheap Crono. I ended up getting support from the Church, but they've got their own problem these days."

Crono took a huge chuck of ham in his mouth and without even bother ing to chew he said, "Shoulda come to us Lucca. We had plenty of money."

"Yeah and that was the problem." Lucca's attitude became snide

"What the Hell is that supposed to mean?!" Crono asked, not happy, his chuck of ham half chewed.

"Lucca," Luccia said, "Watch your tongue. I don't want any fighting in my house."

Lucca's head instantly went to her. "Luccia," Lucca said politely as she could "there will be no fighting here. But Crono needs to hear something." She turned to Crono, "Crono, before the Revolution I had 28 kids in my care. Most of them had parents, they just had no means to support their children. The Crown was so busy trying to get money for railroads and industry or whatever else, including frivolous luxuries it was taking the poor to death, and to make things worse the rich got off light. Tolls, taxes, bribes, Crono we had it good in Truce, but a lot of people didn't. When most of the taxes where rescinded, half of the kids in my orphanage where taken back by their parents before someone else adopted them. And let's not even talk about the lack of freedom, the secret police, I can go on. Don't act like the Reds are totally at fault for the Revolution. The King had plenty of fault to spread around. Why, why didn't you do ANYTHING to change all that?"

Crono, took his third piece of ham, along with a helping of potatoes, and deliberately chewed and swallowed before answered. He then belched loudly. "Nothing needed to be changed, Lucca! Look at what happened. The February Revolution was democratic, they did away with the secret police. And what happened? The Reds took over in October, naturally. Does Linen still talk about 'Peace land and bread?'" Luccia nodded slowly, "Well alright then. This is a nation with Refrigerators and radios in the cities with no paved roads, little track, little industry. Guardia needs to modernize or it'll be carved up" he pointed to the ham with his fork "Like this ham, this most delicious ham, Luccia, thank you." Luccia blushed a bit and bowed her head a bit, "And I swear to you God as my witness, Linen will take away every farm he's given the peasants. Communists are control freaks, they are liars; they are thieves. Ain't I right Robo, tell me I'm right."

Robo, who had taken to the sidelines until then swerved his head to Crono and said "Affirmative. Linen himself will likely not nationalize the farms, but his successors assuredly will…But I hasten to add that Lucca is correct. The corruption, and heavy taxes made the Revolution inevitable. But before this argument gets anymore heated, I must say Crono had very little influence on the Court. Besides, at that late a juncture there's little Crono could have done anyway. So let's drop it. Now."

Lucca grabbed her temples "Could someone just pass me the ham?"

And so the dinner continued, the all drank their Vodka and sipped their teas, and made light conversation, except for Crono, who wanted to know what had happened in the last two years. As the dinner closed, Lucca and Crono had finished off the ham almost between themselves and the potatoes too. They were also a little tipsy from the drink. Robo agreed to help Luccia clean up the mess and bag the leftovers.

Without a word, except to bid Luccia thanks and good night, Crono and Lucca rose from the table. As they got up, and met from opposite sides of the table, Lucca rubbed Crono's hair as if to adjust it "Heh, you do look like a school teacher…now that's a little better. Ha!" They reached the top of the stairs; Lucca leaning on the banister and rubbing her finger on the wood. Se said to Crono, "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I shouldn't have said it…"

Crono put his finger over her mouth "Don't worry…Lucca I have to talk to you remember?"

"Oh yeah!" Lucca said a little too loud, "Something important, you said, well, lead on," so they went inside Crono's room and closed the door. Whatever Crono's dark secret was, Lucca was sure it was nothing to worry about. Crono sometimes got over dramatic about things. His "Heroic Silence" phase during the Lavos incident stood out. Still, he was her friend, her admittedly handsome friend, and she'd stick by him no matter what.

1/3/07: Yes I'm back. I figure I've got five, six chapters to go, but I know what I'm doing now. At this point I'm trying to do a variation of the write a novel a month thing, but I'm giving myself just to complete this story, and do it by the end of February. That means if I haven't completed this story in 56 days, flame me all you want. It's not fair to you that updates come every six months and I know that. I'm going to the National Championship game in Arizona, otherwise I would update over the weekend. Wish me luck and have a happy new year.


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